Method of preparing a pattern on the surface of a charable product



Feb i8, i969 l.. E. LINDBERG 3,428,101

METHOD OF' PREPARING A PATTERN ON THE SURFACE OF' A CHARABL EEEEEEEE Filed Feb. i5, 1967 Baf ,4412434 United States Patent C) 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Preparing a pattern by mixing a resin with a pigment, applying the mixture to cover portions only of the surface of a charable product with such mixture, and then scorching the applied mixture and remaining exposed surface portions to fix the applied mixture and char the exposed surface portions.

This invention relates to the preparation of a pattern on a surface, and more particularly to a method of preparing a pattern on the surface of a charable product, such as wood.

Over the years, artists have continually explored new methods of combining and treating materials, to produce pleasing artistic products. In general terms, the present invention is concerned with this search for new modes of expression, and in particular relates to a novel method whereby certain materials may be first combined, and then scorched to produce a linal decorative product with the characteristics thereof being largely determined by such scorching.

More specifically, and as an object herein, the invention contemplates the preparation of a pattern on the surface of a charable product, such as wood, wherein a fire resistant, deposit-forming medium is spread over portions only of such surface, and this medium and remaining exposed surface portions are then subjected to scorching. Such scorching produces charring of the exposed surface portions, and transforms the medium on the surface into a xed deposit which, together with the exposed surface portions, forms a decorative pattern on the surface of the product.

Another object is to provide such a method wherein, during scorching of the medium the medium undergoes swelling whereby it tends to stand up from the surface of the product. As a related object, it is contemplated that spreads of the medium be nonuniform in thickness, whereby on swelling accentuated hills and valleys in the medium are produced.

A further object is to provide such a method 'wherein scorching of the medium produces the expelling of a vaporous substance, causing the final deposit which is formed to have a porous appearance.

In one embodiment of the invention, the charred exposed surface portions may be brushed away to produce slightly recessed expanses accentuating the three-dimensional character of the decorated pattern produced.

Still another object is to provide a method of the type described wherein the medium, prior to scorching thereof, has an initial, relatively uniform color which becomes subdued and nonuniform after scorching.

These and other objects and advantages attained by the invention will become more fully apparent as the description which follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation of a wooden panel having a surface upon which a pattern has been prepared according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on the same scale as FIG. 1, taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. l.

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While the invention is described herein in connection with the preparation of a pattern on the face of a wooden panel, it should be understood that this is for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention may be practiced as well with other materials and on structures other than panels.

Describing now the method contemplated herein, and with reference to the drawings, first, a charable product, such as wood panel 10 is selected having a surface, such as panel face 10a, upon which it is desired to prepare a decorative pattern. Preferably, and as is the case with wood, the product has a brous internal structure with natural graining defining zones of high and low density. Thus, panel ,10 has natural grain lines, such as lines 12 which are visible in face 10a, which extend generally in a common direction through the panel. Within the panel, grain lines comprise relatively dense zones, and expanses between adjacent grain lines comprise less dense, softer zones.

With the product thus selected, the various colors are chosen for the desired pattern which is to be made, and for each color, an adhering, re resistant, deposit-forming medium is prepared for spreading on the panel face. For each desired color, such a medium is prepared by disbursing in water a dehydrated, water soluble phenol formaldehyde resin, which may be of the type which is commercially available for mixture with 'water to form an adhesive. A sufficient amount of such resin is dispersed in water to produce a liquid resin mass having approximately the same consistency as it would have were the resin to be used as an adhesive. rIhis consistency is such that the resin mass is readily spreadable, yet not so owable that it tends to be self-leveling or that, when applied to a surface, it tends to iiow beyond the areas where it is initially spread on the surface.

The usual resin of the type described, after being dispersed in water, has a brownish color which is not always the color that is desired for the resin before applying it to a surface. Thus, and to establish a proper color for the resin, before any appreciable curing and gelling thereof, it is mixed with a suitable pigment concentrate, or coloring agency, to establish the proper color. Such concentrates are readily available commercially in a wide range of colors. The addition of the concentrate, while altering the color of the resin, does not materially alter any of the other characteristics thereof.

The colored resin thus prepared is then distributed over portions of panel face 10a by spreading it to cover chosen areas of the face, If desired, the resin, by virtue of its consistency described above, may readily be spread on the panel with varying thickness of spread.

The procedure just described for preparing and applying a medium of one color is then repeated for each other color which is contemplated for the intended pattern. What results after spreading of all mediums on the panel face, is a colored design, such as the one indicated generally at A (FIG. l), covering portions but not all of face 10a.

Next, the panel face and applied resin are scorched, as by moving a torch back and forth over the face, to change the characteristics both of the resin, and of the exposed portions of face 10a not covered by resin.

Considering the effect of such scorching upon the exposed portions, such as portion 14, of the panel face, scorching produces charring of these portions with resultant disintegration of the wood fibers. The regions of charred wood may be brushed to remove charred wood and to produce recessed expanses in the areas not covered by resin. This is illustrated clearly in FIG. 2 where surface portions 14 (illustrated as they appear after scorching and brushing) are seen to be below the level of dash-dot 3 line B which indicates the level which these portions had prior to scorching. Such charring tends to produce greater disintegration of the soft wood regions (i.e., those regions located between `adjacent grain lines) than in the hard wood regions making up the grain lines. Thus, charring and brushing has the effect of producing a pronounced surface texture for the exposed portions of face 10a com` prising ridges and valleys moving along and in the face.

Considering what effect scorching has upon the resin on the panel, such promotes curing of the resin, and through such curing, the resin is transformed into insoluble, infusible deposits, such as deposits 16, 18, 20, on the panel surface. Scorching of the resin also causes vaporization of substances such as water in the resin deposits, with such being expelled from the resin to produce swelling of the resin a'bove the panel face. Where the resin spreads on the panel face have nonuniform thickness, such swelling tends to accentuate this variation in thickness. Additionally, expelling of vapors from the resin during curing produces multiple interstices or openings in the resin, such as those shown at 22 (FIG. 2) which give the deposits a porous appearance.

Scorching of the resin tends also to change the color of the resin spread, with the resin after scorching tending to have a more subdued color than when originally applied. Some colors tend to become more subdued with scorching than others.

After scorching in the manner just described, and brushing of the exposed charred wood, the panel face may be cleaned :with turpentine or lwhite gasoline, or some other suitable cleaner. A protective coat may then be applied to the face, as Iby applying a clear liquid sealer.

Thus, a decorative pattern is produced on the panel which comprises recessed expanses extending over the face, together Iwith colored resin deposits adhering to other portions of the face and projecting out from the face p-roducing a three-dimensional aspect in the panel.

'It should be apparent that numerous patterns may be prepared according to the method contemplated herein, and that resins used in the preparation of such patterns may be treated to have a wide variety of colors. By varying the amounts and thicknesses of resin spread on a surface, and by varying the length of time that scorching takes place, it is possible to produce many variations in the final depth which a resin deposit has on the surface, and the extent the charred areas are recessed in the surface.

Other variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is desired to cover all such variations and modifications which would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that corne within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A Imethod of preparing a pattern on the surface of a charable product comprising distributing over portions but not all of said surface an adhering, fire resistant, deposit-forming medium thus to cover said surface portions,

scorching remaining exposed portions of said surface and the medium distributed over the covered surface portions, and

by such scorching, charring the exposed portions of said surface, and transforming said medium into a deposit on said surface,

said deposit, together with said charred surface portions,

forming a distinctive pattern on said surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said medium includes a curable resin, scorching is effective to promote curing of said resin, and such curing tends to fix said deposit on said surface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said resin contains a substance which is vaporized on scorching, said substance is expelled from the resin on vaporizing, and nonuniform swelling of said medium above said surface is produced `by the expelling of said substance from said medium.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein expelling of said gaseous substance produces multiple interstices in said medium whereby the same takes on a porous appearance.

5. The method of claim 1, where charring of said exposed surface portions produces disintegrated regions, and such disintegrated regions are removed to produce recessed expanses in the surface of the product.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said charable product comprises a fibrous material having natural graining defining zones of high and low density, and charring o produces different degrees of disintegration in said zones.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said medium further includes a coloring agency, and the medium, prior to distribution over said surface, is prepared by mixing said agency and said resin.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein scorching produces subduing of the color imparted to the medium by said coloring agency.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 695,417 3/ 1902 Schirm 144-327 2,431,148 ll/ 1947 Stover 144-327 GERALD A. DOST, Primary Examiner. 

